Do you "fret" about gigging with your boutique bass?

At bars I keep a very watchful eye on my gear, while at Worship I pretty much leave my basses hanging unwatched - yes even the Ritter. I wonder if worrying at bars is necessary, for the most part your average Joe at a bar is not to likely to know the value of - Ritter, Benavente, Status, Sadowsky, Nordstrand, Roscoe or Modulus (my main gigging rotation). My bet is a thief would be more likely to steal a Fender than any of the above simply due to popularity.

i keep mine on my back or in hand if im not playing it in the bar.. even during breaks i bag it and keep a close eye..i dont trust anyone...people are assholes....too many friends have had theirs ripped off..and if i lost my Pbass...id be pretty crushed...yeah i can get another but its not the vintage one ive learned on and poured my blood and sweat into......but i guess it depends on how much you value your tools.. or if you trust humanity...

I typically won't play a place where I don't feel safe, but I still keep an eye on the gear. Someone is always at the stage, at the vehicles, or moving in between to lug more gear. Seems like most people get the intermediate level gear stolen, especially when left in a trailer.

Nowadays, its easier than ever for some scum to price and sell your gear. 2 minutes on the internet and they can gauge a price and probably less than 10 minutes have an ad up somewhere, with pics.

Why make it easier than ever for them to steal your gear? If I were gigging, I'd take a minute to atleast return my instruments to a locked vehicle. Most cabs, amps, and pedals are all replaceable. But your instruments are much more personal. If you rocked the place, the crowd isn't going to forget you by the time you return from the van.

Nowadays, its easier than ever for some scum to price and sell your gear. 2 minutes on the internet and they can gauge a price and probably less than 10 minutes have an ad up somewhere, with pics.

Why make it easier than ever for them to steal your gear? If I were gigging, I'd take a minute to atleast return my instruments to a locked vehicle. Most cabs, amps, and pedals are all replaceable. But your instruments are much more personal. If you rocked the place, the crowd isn't going to forget you by the time you return from the van.

Click to expand...

a buddy had his car stolen with his bass and amp inside....he loaded it locked it went back in for a beer came out gone......... if the bass is on me they will have to pry it from my cold dead hands.......

Nowadays, its easier than ever for some scum to price and sell your gear. 2 minutes on the internet and they can gauge a price and probably less than 10 minutes have an ad up somewhere, with pics.

Why make it easier than ever for them to steal your gear? If I were gigging, I'd take a minute to atleast return my instruments to a locked vehicle. Most cabs, amps, and pedals are all replaceable. But your instruments are much more personal. If you rocked the place, the crowd isn't going to forget you by the time you return from the van.

Click to expand...

Nothing scares me more than leaving a bass in a car - locked or otherwise.

You rarely hear stories about people having all the gear stolen off the stage, but it is unfortunately very common for the "band" van or trailer to be stolen while parked outside a venue.

True story... about 1987 (yeah I'm over 40) I was coming home late from a gig, tired and probably a little lit to a new 5th floor apt (with elevator). I was sorely tempted to leave my amp and cabs in the car, but I knew the neighborhood with little to no off street parking was well known for car breakins. I hefted my Cerwin Vega 2 X 12 and 1 X18, a long with amp and basses to the elevator and up to the apt. Read for a bit - till the inescapable sound of a tool dropping outside (it was summer and the window was open with more car directly below), I poked my head out the window and two rat bastards were ripping me off for all my mechanics and carpentry tools, of course by the time I got down to the car they were long gone... but I still had all my bass gear!

Never leave any gear in a car... unless you are well insured and looking for some new toys!

We usually have security on stage at the pubs we play but even when we don't theres usually someone keeping an eye out on the gear. Theres no way someone could get to the door with my bass let alone halfway through the crowd. but noone has ever tried. they usually go for the dice hanging from my mic stand. drunk people are too stupid. they see something dangling and its like shaking keys at a baby

I fret about giging with my Stingray or my G&L. Not boutique basses at all, but still cost me a lot of money.
That's why I bought a used Squier...
Also, this is NYC. Turn around for a second and someone could run off with yout 80lb SVT head, nevermind an 8lb bass...

I fret about giging with my Stingray or my G&L. Not boutique basses at all, but still cost me a lot of money.
That's why I bought a used Squier...
Also, this is NYC. Turn around for a second and someone could run off with yout 80lb SVT head, nevermind an 8lb bass...

Click to expand...

+1 prob why im the way i am ... since living here....makes you aware.... but hey if he can run with an 80lb head faster than me ...he can have it...lol

Seeing as how I play in the seediest poophole bars in and around Detroit and the economy here is as bad as it is, YES, I keep even my crappy $200 Jackson insured and I keep a close eye on all my gear. I only trust MY bandmates and few friends. A gig we did a few months ago, a guitar player had his back up axe stolen. The only people in the bar that night were the bands and the wait staff. No one copped to it, so it just grew legs and ran away. Guy was so pissed he left and made his band play with no lead guitar.